Annette Hines, host of Parenting Impossible – The Special Needs Survival Podcast tackles the world of travel for families with kids with Autism as well as other special needs. Dawn Barclay, book author and writer of travel, shares with us her new book, Traveling Different -Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse. Dawn makes traveling more possible with this encouraging book and the wonderful tips she gives in this episode. Be a more confident parent by following her thoughtfully researched strategies and resources. Predictability is key in setting up a stress-free trip for you and your children. Dawn Barclay suggests introducing the concept of travel by starting small and local, along with an overnight at a friend or relative’s house. Think through each activity’s pacing and preparedness. Use programs like Wings for Autism, TSA Cares and Certified Autism Travel Professionals to help you plan a predictable trip. Dawn talks about so much more including the 16 questions you should ask cruises and tours about how autism friendly they are. Join us to learn how to plan your family’s upcoming summer vacation! Click on the book title to pre-order her book, Traveling Different – Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse. 

We would love to hear what you think about this episode. Please leave a comment!

Dawn Barclay is an award-winning author with 30 years of working in the travel industry. She worked for her parent’s firm, Barclay Travel Ltd and then began travel trade reporting with senior or contributing editor positions at Travel Agent Magazine, Travel Life, Travel Market Report and recently Travel Report. She also writes fiction as D.M. Barr. She is available for speaking engagements and loves to hear from her readers at dawnbarclayauthor@gmail.com. To pre-order her book Traveling Different – Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse, click on the title of the book. 

Listen to the full episode below or you can find us on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Please send us your comments:

As of January 1, 2022, Special Needs Companies, Special Needs Law Group and Special Needs Family Services will all be housed in this new location. They will be working with designers and contractors to create a family-friendly environment that is special needs accessible.  Annette wants to hear from you – what is something you would like to see or something that would make your visit more comfortable when you visit a professional’s office.  Of course, they will focus on ramps and more handicapped parking but are there other items that you would like to see or were maybe lacking in your last visit to a professional’s office? Please reach out HERE and let us know!

For information on other topics, please also check out Special Needs Companies. For legal advice, inspiration, and other resources, visit our blog here. Similarly, you can always listen to previous podcast episodes (and be sure to leave us a review), or download our free eBook here. We are always looking for podcast guests as well so please let us know if you or someone you know, has a special needs or disability topic you would like to speak about – Contact Us!

Please Leave a Podcast Review

Please consider leaving a podcast review for Parenting Impossible – The Special Needs Survival Podcast on iTunes.  More positive ratings and reviews mean more new listeners are introduced to this informational and inspirational podcast.  Look at the bottom of this page for the purple oval that says “Enjoying the podcast?  Leave an iTunes review here.”  This will take you over to the iTunes site/app where you will be able to log in and leave a review.  We really appreciate it!

You can also join our free Facebook group for the disability community, the “Circle of Care,” or watch the webinars and other speaking events on YouTube. The purpose of this community is to create a space for people to be themselves, ask questions and get support and answers, so please share these resources with your friends!

Annette Hines has been practicing in the areas of Special Needs, Elder Law, and Estate Planning for more than 20 years. Ms. Hines brings personal experience with special needs to her practice and podcasts as the mother of two daughters, one of whom passed away from Mitochondrial disease in November 2013. This deep, personal understanding of special needs fuels her passion for quality special needs planning and drives her dedication to help others within the special needs community.

The post Vacation Strategies for Special Needs Families with Dawn Barclays appeared first on The Special Needs Companies.